Leh, Jan 31: An extensive search and rescue operation is underway after a tragic road accident was reported on the Nimu Padum Darcha (NPD) Road in the Zanskar sector on 29th January, when a car carrying four persons plunged into the Zanskar River near Tsomo, close to the Neyrak area along the Chadder Route.
Providing details of the incident, SP UTDRF Govind Rattan stated that the information was received around 1330 hrs on that day that an accident had occurred near Neyrak and a vehicle had fallen into the river. Immediately after receiving the alert, rescue parties were dispatched from Leh and reached the spot by around 1500 hrs.
Upon reaching the location, teams learned that one person travelling in the vehicle had managed to escape during the accident and successfully swam out of the river. The remaining occupants were reported to be residents of Lingshed and were travelling from Leh towards Lingshed at the time of the mishap.
SP Govind Rattan further informed that the rescue teams have recovered the vehicle from the river. During the recovery operation, one dead body, identified as the driver, was found inside the car. However, two other persons are still missing, and search efforts are continuing on a war footing.
The search operation is being carried out jointly by District Police Leh, UTDRF Ladakh, NDRF experts stationed in Leh, and local volunteers who have come forward to assist in the challenging mission.
Elaborating on the scale of the operation, the SP said that nearly 7–8 kilometres of the river stretch was scanned with the help of underwater cameras and deep divers. However, the operation has been severely hampered by frozen patches of the river, as the Chadder Track runs over the same frozen surface during winter.
Highlighting the difficulties faced by the rescue teams, he said the extremely cold water is one of the biggest challenges, limiting deep divers to only four to five minutes underwater at a time despite wearing full protective equipment. Additionally, worsening weather conditions have further complicated the rescue efforts.
Despite these harsh conditions, authorities have reiterated their commitment to continue the search operation with full force. The rescue teams will resume operations tomorrow, extending the search from Sangam to Neyrak and further towards Alchi Dam and Nimo, in hopes of locating the remaining missing persons.
